This is the kind of unwarranted, unnecessay, police brutality that has led people to label police officers as PIGS.

This uniformed individual is not fit to be in the public service. With his lack of self discipline and evident contempt for the rules, he would not even be fit for a role in the armed forces.

We can see there was no attempt made to stop the cyclist prior to the tackle. This was purely a surprise attack, presumably for the love of violence.

Why is it that the New York Police Department is so often the receptacle for the dregs of society? These violent thugs are a menace, not a help to the people they supposedly serve. I am strongly in favor of the concept of a police force, but it must be staffed by mature-minded, rational individuals. Not Bezerkers like this. Such abuses of the necessary powers granted to a police officer as we see in this dismal display only serve to undermine the authority of a police department.

This criminal in the uniform must go.

There have been plenty of CM rides when the ride HAS followed all traffic regulations, and stopped at the red lights. At all of these rides that I have participated in the police have violently arrested and beating bikers. People who dislike CM should WANT us to go through red lights. It decreases the amount of time we back up traffic on the street we are on. Most people in the ride would have no problem stopping at lights. It's been done, it makes it much better for motorists trying to get somewhere for us to move through as quickly as possible.

What I see on that video tape is a long line of cars all stopped for the stop light, while the bikes continue weaving past them, to ride right on through! Since when is running a stop light on a bicycle NOT illegal? If nothing else, that's the law the cyclist broke. Oh, I think he was probably completely out of line regardless, but as far as lying goes? That entire contention is apparently based on a supposed deposition that appeared in another website, which I did view and the one thing I noted that appears to distinguish it from any other police deposition I've ever seen is the lack of the officer's signature. So I think I'll reserve judgement until the investigation is finished.

i wonder if the soon to be ex officer Patrick Pogan father and grandfather all used steroids and abused their law enforcement position. It definitely looks like soon to be ex officer Pogan grew up around the kitchen table hearing stories of how to lie on arrest reports and to always add a line of duty injury into the report in order to set up the officer for a disability pension.

Seems the soon to be ex officer was already fabricating his injuries two weeks out of the academy.

Good job teaching your child, dad and grandpa!

Critical mass is stupid. Put on your damn helmets and ride SAFE.

I am an avid bicyclist and trauma surgeon. Please don't end up in my operating room with a head injury that will have you spend the rest of your life in a nursing home.

No matter what your cause or reason, in car vs. bicycle car ALWAYS wins. Cars very rarely stop, most of these end up as hit & runs. You will be left with no bike, nobody to blame but yourself, and a $10,000 doctor/hospital bill.

Sorry Billy, but we citizens will pay for this prick's idiocy. I hope the rider launches a suit for $200 M and settles for about $20M. This is similar to Abner Louima, without the sexual/racial overtones.

Police officers should have to sign an agreement that if they do something stupid, the city is not responsible for their actions and they may face criminal charges. That might keep the riffraff out.

Too many cops with too little else to do. One of the benefits of falling crime rates is that you don't need as many cops. The NYPD could trim at least one or two thousand and make it clear that anyone who aids and abets this kind of sociopathic behavior will get bounced. The Rockefeller Laws need to be abolished and the drug crimes that need the most attention should be their top priority, not some hippie lighting a dube in a park.

This story resonates with everybody because there has been a huge shift toward a police state in New York City and the country. We all sense that these are different times than even a decade ago.

Most arrests in the USA are drug related. The cops have to arrest at ten people to get one drug arrest. They arrest anybody they can to make the quota.

Watch this video so you will know how to protect your rights.

BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMjMPlXzdA

Rock and don't take any shit from the Man.

i know.

this place is like Shawshank.

oh well, off to zihuatanejo!

chuzzlewit;

I'm afraid it has nothing to do with what you did. You're in a heap of trouble anyway. Unless someone has videotape proving otherwise, it's our word against yours, and nobody will believe you.

Welcome to the criminal.

justice.

system.

(ominous music. commercial break.)

By the way, I'm sick and tired of NYC always getting sued for these types of incidents. Why do I have to pay for it in my taxes? What did I do to deserve being taxed for something like this?

This officer presumably was NOT doing his job. If that assumption turns out to be correct I say sue the officer personally. Let the officer pay for the privledge of what he did... why do we as taxpayers have to pay for it?

Well, it's always a bit of the unknown when you comment on something like this. The video does not show what the bicyclist was doing for any length of time prior to approaching the officer. However, even if he was doing what the officer claimed, is it really necessary to throw a body block?

One of the witnesses, a Mr. Radhuber, states the exact opposite of what the officer claims. The father of the officer is defending his son when he (the father) has no clue as to what went on. That goes to show the validity of the father's defense of the son, or should I say stupidity.

Oh, you gotta' love it! This is the type of stuff that makes us civilians question the police. Don't they ever stop to think they hurt themselves? The Blue Wall of Silence hurts the images of the good cops more than anything out there. I wouldn't expect a civilian to pull such a stupid move and I certainly wouldn't expect a cop to do it. Incidents like this are exactly why you never know if you can trust the police. The boys/girls in blue just don't seem to get it.

If found guilty give the officer a few years in a cell; do the same to the father for making such a stupid comment. Don't you have to be present to know if your comment makes any sense? Apparently not, but we know why the son is the way he is.

"Actually, where is babyhitler, chuzzlewit, or any other member of that crew?"

good heavens - what did i do???

I'm glad these threads get so many comments. I hope that blogs continue to follow this after everyone else moves on to Britney's latest wardrobe choices.

Patrick Pogan will most likely have to testify in front of a grand jury and will most likely lie under oath.

[104] Exactly. I have no idea why GlennQNYC keeps grasping at straws other that either he's in a major state of denial or has some vested interest in Pogan's defense. We know exactly what Pogan claimed in his report, that Long was weaving in and out of traffic and headed straight for Pogan. The former is very much in doubt and everybody who watches the video knows the latter is a complete fabrication. Nowhere does the report say they were told to watch out for Long. Pogan even claims he himself was knocked down and suffered cuts to his arms. He's lying scum. Just how maneuverable do you think bicycles are? Two cops wouldn't be able to block the path of one "wanted" rider? Only if they're the usual 40+ year old veterans with 30 extra pounds of spare tire squeezing out over the belt.

Just saw the Commissioner on TV. He says he has no idea how it happened. I'm afraid that the vendetta against CM in particular and bicyclists in general came from Kelly & Bloomberg as pay back for the RNC protest.

BTW, what ever happened with all those RNC arrests? How much did the city have to pay out for law suits stemming from that?

I hope this is just the beginning of a much broader investigation into post 9/11 policing policies of our city. That would include the financial and human costs. Frightening how many are ready to accept the curtailing of our liberties and police brutality.

I can remember a time, not so long ago, that I respected the NYPD. I am disappointed in our finest.

Dude, they hate this guy because he dares to break their narrow code.

He is fraternizing with known hippies and Starbucks drinkers.

He could be fricken Captain America, and if he mounts a bike and rides with CM, then in their eyes he's a commie and should be handled.

duh.

if they are ultra conservative, why are they against this United States of America Veteran?

this is a U.S. Veteran who served his Nation, that is the highest honor one can do for their Country.

Why does the NYPD hate America and hates Veterans who served their Country. The Country being the United States of America AKA U.S.A.

If you havent already read the forum Jibbly (#85) posted.

Read outside the thread and you will find our posts celebrating violence, open racism, and a general hatred of anyone they deem unacceptable (basicly anyone who is not a pig, including the few decent cops).